“At continued risk of economic shock. Unable to plan for the future.”
Sometimes plain words in a report show more than statistics. These chilling phrases summarise the lives of many individuals and families.
National research commissioned by Citizens Advice asked people what in their lives made them feel secure. 93% said an income they could rely on was just as important as a high income. Surprising? Not when you really think about it.
The numbers matter of course. 4.5 million workers fall into at least one of the recognised insecure categories. Of these, 2.3 million work on variable shifts; 1.1 million are on temporary contracts; 0.8 million are on zero-hours contracts.
But it’s not just limited contracts.
Our advisers at Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead regularly see clients whose lives and well-being are affected by insecure jobs. But they also say that insecurity isn’t just about the limitations of a legal contract.
Some employers break the law in their treatment of staff, almost certainly emboldened by employment tribunal rules which have caused a steep fall in cases heard. The House of Commons Justice Committee is recommending reform and Citizens Advice is active here too.
More in our next post.